We simulated the summer transfer window with Arne Slot in charge to see if Liverpool could dip into the market.
With Arne Slot all but confirmed to be the Liverpool boss next season, his first act of business will be to mould the squad to his liking in the summer transfer window.
After links to the likes of Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim, Feyenoord boss Slot is set to be given the task of replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, with the two clubs having reached an agreement for the transfer of the Dutchman.
Not only is a new manager coming through the door, but Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will both be joining the club from July 1, meaning an active transfer window could potentially be on the cards.
Plenty of players who have played under Slot are being linked with the Reds, including Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida, who was in attendance to watch Sunday’s draw at West Ham United. But who could be on the man’s wish list?
Liverpool’s 2023/24 summer transfer window with Arne Slot simulated
To set up this simulation, we used Football Manager 2024 to make Slot the new Liverpool manager before simulating the summer transfer window. This is what happened.
Incomings (£147.4m)
Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United) – £58m
Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta) – £48.7m
Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) – £34m
Sergey Pinyaev (Lokomotiv Moscow) – £4.9m
Jay Gorter (Ajax) – £1.8m
Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham) – free transfer
Three forwards, one midfielder, one defender, and one goalkeeper arrived at the club in Slot’s first transfer window, with depth added all round. The most expensive signing was Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, with the winger arriving for £58million.
Leeds United’s Crysencio Summerville and Lokomotiv Moscow youngster Sergey Pinyaev both arrived as further attacking options for a combined £38.9million, while Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners was brought in to improve the midfielder for £48.7million.
Liverpool’s bargain of the summer came in Tosin Adarabioyo, with the Fulham defender joining on a free transfer following his contract expiry, while a new backup goalkeeper arrived in Jay Gorter from Ajax.
Outgoings (£151.5m)
Luis Diaz (Paris Saint-Germain) – £76m
Caoimhin Kelleher (West Ham United) – £31m
Kostas Tsimikas (Newcastle United) – £22m
Sepp van den Berg (Stuttgart) – £11.7m
Calvin Ramsay (Sheffield United) – £4.8m
Tyler Morton (Fulham) – Season-long loan (£2m loan fee)
Ben Doak (Hoffenheim) – Season-long loan (£1.6m loan fee)
Fabio Carvalho (Leicester City) – Season-long loan (£1.5m loan fee)
Kaide Gordon (Hull City) – Season-long loan (£700k loan fee)
Bobby Clark (West Brom) – Season-long loan (£500k loan fee)
Luke Chambers (Derby County) – Season-long loan (£200k loan fee)
Liverpool ended the summer transfer window with a profit thanks to some big departures. Half of the money made from outgoings came from Luis Diaz, with the winger calling time on his two and a half seasons with the club to move to Paris Saint-Germain for £76million.
Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher left for West Ham, where he was being offered regular first-team football, while Kostas Tsimikas also departed the club, with the left-back being moved on to Newcastle United, despite recently signing a new contract with the Reds.
Sepp van den Berg returned to Germany following his loan spell, but this time on a permanent deal, with the centre-back joining Stuttgart for £11.7million.
Calvin Ramsay was also moved on from the club permanently, with Liverpool cutting their losses and selling the defender for £4.8million. Six youngsters were all sent on loan for the season as well. Fabio Carvalho and Tyler Morton both earned Premier League loan moves, while Ben Doak went to Hoffenheim for the upcoming campaign.
With a new-look squad, Liverpool started the season poorly, losing four of the opening 10 games. It didn’t take long for Slot’s side to find their feet, though, but despite a fantastic end to the season, the Reds fell short in the Premier League title race.
Twenty-five wins, five draws, and eight defeats saw Liverpool end the campaign with 80 points, one fewer than Arsenal in second and eight behind the winners Manchester City.
Overall, FM24 predicts that Slot could focus on adding attacking depth to his ranks in the transfer window, with his first season in charge a convincing one.
